This past spring SpartanMag.com indicated that Kenny Watkins of Brother Rice High School was one of the more intriguing prospects in the class of 2009. Watkins had all the physical tools to be a high-level recruit, but had missed much of his junior year and did not have quality game to have evaluated.

Watkins proceed to have a strong spring and summer camp circuit and that netter him several MAC offers as well as an offer form the Indiana Hoosiers. Several other programs were impressed enough that he went on the short list of potential defensive back prospects. Watkins however decided to pull the trigger early and commit to the Indiana Hoosiers.

Following a strong senior campaign and a season in which was a disappointing for the Hoosiers, Watkins has re-opened his recruitment and is taking a look around. Several Big Ten teams are very interested in the 6-foot-1. 190-pound prospect and SpartanMag.com has the latest.

Watkins has quietly been moving up the national rankings. He has gone form an unranked 2-star recruit to 3-str recruit that is rated the #43 safety prospect in the nation. The rise is based on the fact that Watkins play this fall earned him All-Oakland County, All-Area and Oakland Press Dream Team recognition.

This past weekend Watkins took his official visit to Bloomington and gave us the latest.

"It went well. I had a good time down there. I enjoyed talking with the players and the coaches. They made me fee very welcome."

The visit to the Hoosiers comes on the heels of an official visit to Minnesota prior to Thanksgiving to check out the Gophers. We asked Watkins if any other teams are in the mix.

I am hearing from Iowa, Michigan d Michigan State. Iowa just got a commitment at my position so I am nit sure if they are going to offer. I spoke with Michigan State last Thursday. I talked with Coach Enos for about 20 minutes and Coach Singletary from Michigan has contacted me."

So what did the Spartans have to say?

Coach Enos said they like me; it is mainly just a situation of scholarship numbers. "

The Spartans have 17 commitments at this point and may only take 2 or 3 players at the most. The question is do they have a scholarship spot available at his position. The Spartans definitely want to add a pass catching tight end to this class and are holding a spot for Dion Sims.

The Hawkeyes, Wolverines and Spartans may not have a lot of time to decide on whether or not they are going to offer. Watkins indicated that he wants to make a final decision in the near future.

"I am not going to wait around much longer he said. The whole recruiting process is kind of hectic and I would like to make my choice soon. I just want to make sure I make the right choice for me."Watkins informed us that right now he does not view himself as committed to any one school, but that the two Big ten teams that have offered him are contending for his services.

"I have always wanted to play in the Big ten. I have a lot of MAC offer and they play good football there, but the Big ten schools are the one's I am looking at."

One of the aspects of Watkins game that is a positive in his recruitment is his versatility. While he is listed as a safety, some schools believe he also has the ability to play cornerback as well. Watkins talked about that.

Most schools say I could play both, but safety is the position I am getting recruited for the most. Schools like the fact that I could come up to the line from the safety spot and cover a slot wide receiver man on man.

Some have speculated that Watkins and his cousin LB Jeremy Gainer are a package deal and a decision is contingent on both players attending the same school. Watkins indicated that while he and Gainer would like play together in college, it is not necessarily a deal breaker for any one school. Watkins has stated that he understands that each of them have to do what is best for them. Just like in high school when one went to Clarenceville and the other to Brother Rice. The decision to attend those schools worked out well for both.

Spartanmag.com is in the process of updating our class of 2009 rankings. Base don Watkins play this fall; look for him to be one of the bigger movers up the rankings.

Be sure to check out the film encased in this video. You can enlarge it and watch it in full screen mode. That video was uploaded today by Rivals.com and is the most recent highlights of Watkins in action.